We offer you access to the world of electronic information, not just of our records of holdings and availability, but we offer access to full text articles from thousands of magazines and newspapers through our online databases. You can search genealogy records with HeritageQuest and even borrow e-books and e-audio books on OverDrive. Free public access to the Internet is available at all branches as well as free WiFi access for properly equipped laptops and PDA’s.

Although we have done much with our virtual library, we have not forgotten our buildings. During the past decade, the City Council and the Alexandria Library Board have renovated and expanded the Barrett Branch on Queen Street, built the exciting Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library on Duke and Pickett Streets (designed by world renowned architect, Michael Graves and the local architectural firm of Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville), and redesigned and reopened the Burke Branch on Seminary Road. In September 2005, the completely renovated and expanded Duncan Branch on Commonwealth Avenue was dedicated.

Whether through renovation or innovation, it is a most exciting time for the Alexandria Library. We are rising to the challenge of balancing the traditional user and the nontraditional user. We remain committed to having books and the types of programming that people have come into libraries to use for years, while we are committed as well to those users who are very tech savvy, who primarily want to use the Library through our website. Our resources allow us to provide excellent customer service for those people who are coming into the libraries and to extend our services for those people who are accessing us online.